hole up

verb

holed up; holing up; holes up

intransitive verb

: to hide out in or as if in a hole or cave

transitive verb

: to place in or as if in a refuge or hiding place

Synonyms of hole up

• hide
• lurk
• lie

Examples of hole up in a Sentence

we'll hole up in the cellar and wait out the hurricane

Recent Examples on the Web

Agnes goes to check in on Nora, who’s struggled with depression for years and has recently holed up in her apartment with no contact. —Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 4 Dec. 2025

The bullet broke her shoulder, went straight through her vitals, and holed up against her hide on the other side. —Cheyne Matzenbacher, Outdoor Life, 3 Dec. 2025

William Clark Green helped Canty write the title track when the two men holed up one afternoon in the green room at Billy Bob’s Texas. —Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 28 Nov. 2025

At last year's showing, people snapped photos and holed up at metal tables to hoist custom steins and croon along with German polka, jazz and '70s funk cover bands. —John Wenzel, Denver Post, 28 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1875, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Rhymes for hole up

• buttercup
• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup

Kids Definition

hole up

verb

: to take shelter in or as if in a hole or cave